The Small Kind of Problem
by BenedictedCumberbabe221
Summary: With the morning from hell, Megan doesn't think it can get any worse, but after a wave of sickness hits her, she realizes that it most certainly can. Meter! Hope you enjoy it, reviews most welcome! Much love ME
1. Chapter 1

'Mom. Mom. MOM!'

Megan squealed as she was rudely awoken from her slumber. At the door of her bedroom, stood Lacey, wearing her school uniform, pure fury on her face. As the morning dawned on the weary medical examiner, she cursed. A glance at the clock caused her to curse again.

'Sorry Lace!' she yawned as she hopped out of bed, mustering energy she didn't even think was in her. 'Quick, unlock the car.'

'Mom, you are getting changed, right?'

'Yep. Just get into the car. Spit spot!'

Lacey took the keys grumbling as she left the apartment. Megan checked her phone - 3 missed calls from Bud, 2 texts from Peter. Great. She threw on a silk dressing gown, and hurried out of the apartment. She disregarded the look of horror plastering Lacey's face.

'Mom! You said you were getting changed!'

'I did; into my dressing gown,' she smiled without humour as she accelerated.

'You're so embarrassing. You can't drop me off at school in your pyjamas!'

'What? Nobody's gonna' see me, would you rather be late?'

Lacey gazed moodily out of the car window. When they arrived at her school, Megan said a fleeting goodbye with a peck on the cheek, before zooming back down the road.

Why hadn't the alarm awoken her? Maybe she hadn't put it on. She'd found herself coming home unusually exhausted recently, but not until now had she slept in.

Back in the flat, she pulled on a white shirt with her black skirt. Applied her mascara and lipstick, styled her hair. She slid into a pair of red heels; she waddled back out of the door for the second time in fifteen minutes, rifling through her bag for her cell. It wasn't until she locked the apartment door, she recalled putting it on the tabletop in the kitchen. 'Brilliant!' she articulated, working the key into the slot. She retrieved her cell, scurried out, locked the door. In the car, her phone trilled to life. Caller ID showed Peter Dunlop.

'Hey, sweetie,' she grinned, acting coy.

'Afternoon beautiful,' he replied, sarcastically. 'Just to let you know, because we couldn't get hold of you this morning, the cadaver's already been transported to the morgue.'

'Thank you. I'll be there in two minutes.'

'What was up this morning?'

'Alarm clock nonperformance,' Megan replied grumpily. 'Lacey nearly killed me.' Peter chuckled; to which Megan reacted by melting into her chair. She loved his laugh.

'See you at work Peter,' she smiled as she terminated the call.

* * *

Megan felt lethargic and for once in her career, she wanted to hold off the autopsy. She slumped in her office chair, gazing out at the golden Philedelphia morning. The array of buildings glinted blindingly. She took a sip of her coffee, and scalded her tongue.

'Ouch!' She flapped her hands at her mouth. 'Bloody morning...' she grumbled, as movement beyond the glass panes of her office caught her eye. Ethan was chuckling at her predicament with the coffee. She shot him a deathly look, and his face clouded in fear. He held up a hand with a slight wave before scuttling off.

She held her head as it began to ache. '_What's wrong with me today_?'

Peter was leaning on the door frame, gazing at her gleefully.

She sat back in her chair, smiling, biting her lip. He stepped into her office, leant over and they shared a kiss.

'Wow Megan, you must be tired to come in like that,' he gestured to her shirt. Her head snapped down; her top had been buttoned up wrong, leaving a gaping hole revealing her bra.

'Oh God. Not my day today.'

'What's up?'

'I'm unusually lethargic, my head's decided to unleash unbearable pain, I burnt my tongue on my coffee, which tastes disgusting and now I've been enlightened to the fact, I crawled into work with my lingerie on show! I know I'm a woman, but there is still only so much I can take!'

'Come on. Maybe finding a killer might boost your spirits.' Peter grasped her hand, and she followed him toward the morgue.

'He was found stabbed in his flat by his girlfriend this morning,' Peter filled her in. 'Bud's questioning her now.'

'Let's get to work,' Megan mumbled, as she clipped back her hair. Peter drew the cover back, revealing a male, mid-twenties at least. Megan suddenly felt a wave of nausea. She leant against the gurney, breathing deeply. Peter stared at her worriedly. Another convulsion of sickness, and without an explanation for Peter, she hobbled off in her heels, in the direction of the toilets.

* * *

Once she'd finished vomiting she sat with her back against the toilet door. Breathing. She awaited another surge of sickness but it didn't come. So she flushed away her stomach rejections, and exited the cubicle. The mirror revealed a pale, sickly version of herself, her eyes dark. She looked a mess.

'Probably from the Chinese last night,' she thought, as she washed her hands. She was about to leave the toilets when she saw the toiletry machine, and it hit her with such shock she tumbled into the toilet again, to cough up what could possibly remain in her stomach.

It'd been 8 weeks. She hadn't realised. And now, realising that she recognised all the symptoms. She'd gotten them with Lacey. She held her stomach.

She was pregnant.

* * *

_New story. Please review, constructive criticism always welcome. Hope ypu enjoy it, and shall update as soon as I can...if people are wanting me to update. Thanks for reading. Much love ~ME_

_**Next chapter: What will she do, and what will she tell the father? (: **__  
_


	2. Chapter 2

With Peter's baby. '_No_,' she thought. '_No, I have to be sure. I'm probably overreacting, probably just flu.'_

A knock on the door.

'Megan?' Oh God, it was Peter. 'Megan? Are you okay?'

She crept toward the door, opening it, attempting to mask her emotions.

'Hey Peter. I'm actually going to go home; flu. Not feeling at all well. Could you tell Kate? Thanks.'

She hurried past him, escaping to her office to retrieve her handbag before taking the elevator, leaving Peter stood in bewilderment at her brief, blunt farewell.

As she took the road home, she stopped off at a drug store. As she located the row full of pregnancy tests, she spotted Kate, scrutinising the shelves in the next row.

Megan stooped, scurrying to a row further away from the one her boss was occupying, keeping her head low. Megan felt idiotic, but she was adamant that she was not getting into a conversation with Kate; especially concerning the reason she was at the store. The medical examiner noticed Kate was within the row of painkillers, nothing as gossip-worthy as pregnancy.

'Hello miss, can I help you?' An employee asked, making Megan react with shock by knocking over a podium of condoms.

'Shoot. No, no. I'm fine,' she uttered as she attempted to pick up all the packets splayed across the floor.

'If you were looking at condoms, miss, these are a good make; hardly ever break.' Megan looked up at the employee in disbelief.

'Excuse me, do I look like a woman who needs to know that information?'

She paused in her thought, because stuck in the could-be-pregnancy situation, maybe she did.

'Megan?'

Megan could not believe her luck, or lack of it; Kate stood, her arms folded, a smirk playing upon her lips. 'What are you doing here?'

'I was just helping her select the best-'

'No, actually I knocked these over. I was, in fact looking for the painkillers,' she snapped, standing up, leaving the annoying man to clear up her mess.

'Well, the painkillers are over here,' Kate gestured. 'Why, what's up?'

'Think I've got the flu, big headache. Going to have to miss work today, sorry.'

'Its that bad?'

'What?'

'You hardly ever miss work. I remember when you were so ill, you actually looked like you were meant to be on the slab, but you were still determined to work.'

'Well,' Megan failed to produce an answer to that. 'Ah, these will do.'

'You do look terrible though, so I think taking a day off might be good for you,' Kate assured, following Megan to the counter. She paid, glancing at the pregnancy tests as she left the store.

'See you tomorrow Dr. Hunt.' Kate sped off in her car, leaving Megan stood outside the store. She waited for Kate's car to turn the corner, before entering the store again. She grabbed a test, took it to the counter and paid, ignoring the portly employee still clearing the fallen packets.

'So, this is what you really came for.' Megan nearly screamed when Kate's stepped beside her, but Megan took control of herself.

'It's for someone else.'

'Oh, who?'

A pause. 'Lacey.'

'Lacey?'

'Yes.'

'Lacey?' Kate gave Megan a look, and the medical examiner knew there was nothing her sharp tongue could do to evade this conversation.

'Fine,' Megan gave in, stiffly. 'It's for me.'

'Wow, Megan. Never had you down for being careless,' Kate joked, receiving an austere expression from Megan. 'I'm guessing this emanated from the illness.'

'I've been exhausted recently, been sick more times than I can count, headaches, and it's been 8 weeks.'

'You know the father?'

'Kate. Of course it's Peter. I may have a way with the other gender,' Megan said sarcastically, 'but I don't have a habit of sleeping around.'

'Have you told him yet?'

'Of course not,' she snorted. 'I couldn't look him in the eye this morning.'

'Well, you go home, take the test,' Kate ordered. 'Tell me the news.'

They parted ways, Kate returning to her car, that she'd parked sneakily around the corner, and Megan took off home, her mind a buzzing, confusing mess of a freeway.

* * *

'Crap.'

Positive. 'Oh, crap, crap, crap.'

As soon as the test had bestowed the anticipated result, with trembling hands she fulfilled her orders from Kate.

'Hey Megan. Result?'

'Positive,' she breathed.

'That's brilliant!'

'Is it? I'm not even sure I want this baby, Kate.' There was a moment of thoughtful silence from Kate. 'I've already messed up one child's life, what's to say it won't happen again.'

'Come on, Megan. You and Lacey have come far and you've done more than enough to prove that your a good mother. I know you; you won't make the same mistake.'

'I'm also, however much I loath to admit it, getting...old,' Megan spoke through gritted teeth.

'Like that's stopped anyone before,' Kate chuckled. 'And whatever you're planning, you'll need to consult Peter first. It's his baby too.'

Megan sighed, with a sinking heart at the thought of telling Peter; she was scared.

'I'll tell him tomorrow,' Megan promised herself.

'You get some rest now Dr Hunt,' with that, Kate cut off the call.

Not only did he have the pressure of telling Peter, there was Lacey, her colleagues, her mother. She dressed herself back into her pyjamas and went to bed.

* * *

'Mom?' For the second time that day, Lacey awakened her mother. Megan smiled sleepily as her daughter looked at her questioningly. 'Aren't you supposed to be at work?'

'As a matter of fact, I called a sick day.'

'Are you sick? Because if you are don't come near me - I have an art exam this week.' She warned as her mother stepped toward her.

'Don't worry; what I've got has no risk of contagion,' she mumbled, hugging her daughter. 'How was school sweetie?'

'Good,' Lacey answered from her room, as Megan helped herself to a glass of orange juice. 'You know Tyler Williams? Well, he broke up with Tanya Evans today - it's the talk of the school. They've been going out since they were ten, which I find ridiculous.'

Megan tried to express interest, but she didn't know who Lacey was talking about and didn't much care about the break-up of two hormonal teenagers. 'Hey, Mom. Can we get a dog?'

'What?' Megan exclaimed. 'First we were talking about failing teenage relationships and now you're asking for a dog?'

'Yes.'

'The answer's no.'

'Awh, but-'

'No,' Megan smiled sweetly.

'Cat?'

'No.'

'Gerbil?'

'No.'

'Hamster?'

'No.'

'Goldfish?'

'Are you really that desperate that you'd ask for a goldfish? You killed your last one, so no.'

'I didn't kill it! It was old!'

'By two months?' Lacey pulled a grumpy face, opening her laptop, her finger tapping nimbly across the keyboard.

'Anyway, sweetie,' Megan spoke slowly, nervous, worried about how her daughter would take her news. 'I have something very important to tell you.'

'Go on,' she encouraged, eyes locked on the laptop screen.

'Well, as you know, I've not been feeling well lately-'

'Mum, you're not dying, are you?' Lacey exclaimed, panicking.

'No, no!' Megan laughed. 'No Lacey, I'm fine. It's just-'

An abrupt ringtone interrupted her.

'Sorry Mom, it's Alice!' Lacey picked up her jingling laptop, retreating to her bedroom. Megan sighed, tapping her fingers on the table. '...I'm pregnant,' she concluded her sentence in a whisper.

* * *

_Thank you for the reviews. Hope you find this another enjoyable chapter. Reviews are most welcome, any advice on my writing etc. _

_~much love_

_**Next chapter: revealing her news to everyone, including Peter. **  
_


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Megan sickness had lifted, but she was fully aware that it was not the last she'd see of it.

What was making her sick, however, was the thought of telling Peter. She wasn't sure if what they had was a fling, or something more important. She knew how she felt about him, and she wished that he shared her feelings.

He'd called twice yesterday, and three times already this morning. She didn't trust herself to answer without hanging up mid-converation due to nerves, so she resolved to leave it until work before talking to him.

She dropped Lacey off at school, and carried on to work, driving slower than usual. Her plans for telling Lacey was to gather both Lacey and her mother to tell them together. _What a lovely occasion that would be_, she thought sarcastically.

Bud had text her the details of their first body.

The scene had been cordoned off; the bustle of the homicide team centred around the garage of a large bungalow. She saw Bud and Sam, presumably, questioning the owner's of the house.

Sam noticed Megan's arrival, and excusing herself, strode over to the medical examiner to fill her in.

'Morning Dr. Hunt; feeling better?

'Goodmorning Detective Baker, feeling swell; what have we got?'

'Mitchell Beckett, 36, found stabbed in his parent's garage. They found him this morning at around 7am.'

The body lay splayed across the concrete garage floor, a dark stain surrounding his abdomen.

'Cause of death does seem to be the stab wound, but I'll know more in autopsy.'

At this point, Peter appeared at the side of the body, snapping numerous images of the cadaver and crime scene.

He caught Megan's eye and smiled tentatively. Megan returned the smile.

'Do we have a weapon?'

'If there's one around, we haven't found it.'

'What was he doing here?'

'Well, they had a family party last night. At around 11pm, as the mother recalled, Mitchell disappeared. Said they thought he'd left; didn't enjoy family gatherings apparently. But as he didn't leave the home we assume it was someone attending the reunion; so now, we have a host of suspects.'

'Um, autopsy in an hour,' Megan told Sam, keeping her eyes on Peter, stepping away. Strutting down the driveway, she felt a presence at her side.

'Are you ignoring me?'

She turned, looking into the questioning eyes of Peter, he almost looked hurt.

'Of course not,' Megan assured.

'Weren't answering your calls then; but I was just calling to see if you were ok.'

'I was just...look, Peter. This isn't a great time, but I need... really need to talk to you.'

'Oh, I get it; the break up talk, right?'

'No, no, no, no,' she repeated. 'Definitely not. Come to my office at six?'

'I'll be there.'

He pecked her on the cheek before she ducked into her car.

She held her head in her hands.

* * *

With immediate response to Megan's arrival, Kate ushered her into her office.

'Have you told Peter yet?'

'No, but I'm not looking forward to 6 o'clock.'

'Lacey?'

'Well, I tried. But with the wonder of technology, she was whipped from our conversation; and I can't begin to think about telling my mother,' Megan groaned.

'Well, I'm sure Peter will be very happy,' Kate reassured. 'Just don't think about it, carry on working, and I can guarantee he will be ecstatic with the news.'

'I'm not even certain if he thinks this is a fling, or more than a fling or if I'm _the one.'_

'Come off it Megan! Don't you see the way he looks at you, and you at him? I've never seen you so happy, and there is no doubt in my mind that Peter feels that you and him are meant for each other.'

'What if the baby scares him off.'

'That's not Peter. Now, I don't want to hear another word about it, go and work,' Kate ordered, settling a comforting hand on Megan's shoulder as she exited the office.

'Um, Kate. Thank you. You've been a lot of help,' Megan thanked with her social awkwardness that just summed up her personality.

'It's no problem, Megan, I'm always here,' Kate said.

'Okay, um, thank you.' Megan left, ready to work on her recently arrived cadaver, pledging to treat the day as if there wasn't a person developing within her.

* * *

'He has multiple stab wounds on his abdomen; the flesh of the wounds are splayed outwards as if there were hooks on the blade, rupturing the skin as the blade was withdrawn,' Megan murmured as she consulted the body.

'Similar to a fishing spear, or something?' Peter questioned.

'The wounds also indicate that the weapon had a point, but the edges were blunt. We'll see if any of the scans reveal anything left from the blade.'

'Cause of death?'

'Blood loss, pure and simple. These wounds were what killed him. He's been dead since about 11 last night.'

'We'll need to question all of the family members.'

Megan glanced at the scans and noticed an array of white blemishes embedded within the wounds.

'Looks like we have trace.'

She took a pair of tweezers and fished a few shards, cleaned them, and after quick examination, was shocked to realize that the blade had been made of wood.

'Tell Sam and Bud the weapon is made of wood, approximately six inches long - we'll have to see if any of the family have encountered anything of that description.'

'On it,' Peter replied, stepping back and bringing his cell to his ear to relay the information. Megan watched as Peter frowned. The call was ended.

'They've already found the weapon, the same as you described, and brought in Mitchell Beckett's daughter.'

'His daughter did this?'

'It was her weapon. She has an interest in tribal cultures, likes to make weapons.'

'We should see what she has to say.'

* * *

Bud and Sam were questioning a girl of fifteen. Her hair was a tangle of blonde dreadlocks with braids entwined within them. She wore jewelry of leather with charms of wood and shells.

Leia Beckett, her appearance ascertaining her rumoured tribal interest, sat distraught, appalled at being suspected of killing her father. She admitted that she had crafted the knife, but was adamant it was for show only. When asked her whereabouts at 11pm on the night in question, she'd answered with a pitiful alibi that could not be confirmed by anyone, that she'd been strolling through the nearby woodland. She'd been released, but was told to stay local.

'I'm very sorry to have to say this, but I really think she did it,' Bud sighed, receiving a sorrowful nod from Sam, as they joined Megan.

'What's her motive?' Megan questioned.

'What? Parent and child scrap; Leia gets really pissed, tests out her blade for good measure.'

Megan remained doubtful.

'Any other family member absent from the party?'

'Nope, only Leia,' Sam replied.

'Damn,' Megan muttered.

'Although, we still have one other pair to question: the brother and his wife,' Bud reminded.

'Oh good, I'll come with you.'

* * *

Johnny Beckett was close to breaking down; his brother's death sickened him. His wife, Alexis, was just as shocked. They were both pale, Alexis' eyes wide, staring but unseeing. Their hands were locked together.

'Where were you both at 11pm last night?'

'We were in the garden, discussing a holiday, weren't we honey?' Johnny answered, caressing his wife's hand. She gave the meekest of nods. 'A holiday proposition seems so foolish...so insignificant...I think to myself, I should have heard, seen something. But no, whilst my brother was being slaughtered, I was talking about holiday.' He shook his head.

'You didn't happen to notice Leia's whereabouts at that time?'

'Last time I saw her, she was sat in the kitchen.'

'Thank you for your time, Mr and Mrs Beckett.'

Sam, Bud and Megan stood to leave, and as they did so Megan's eyes caught the flourishing of bruises on Alexis Beckett's forearms - a quite blatant hand print. A scald on her hand.

The ghostly eyes, tainted with fear and sadness. Those grey eyes glanced at Megan, saw her examining her arm, rolled down her sleeve and hurried off, mumbling about tea.

'Goodbye,' Johnny said, closing the door behind them.

'So it must be Leia,' Bud concluded.

'Once again Detective Morris, some things have just gone straight over your shiny head.'

* * *

_Leia knew she wasn't guilty. She had been walking through the woods, the only prey on her mind were a few rabbits, not a human; most certainly not her father. But with crushing force, realisation plundered into her. _

_The sky was starry the night of the family party, and by eleven o'clock practically all the adults were so disgustingly off their faces with alcohol, half of them had sullied the bathroom with vomit; whilst the remainder leered into her face asking about her exams, why she was so weird, why she had dreads; or were passed out on the sofa. She could no longer stand the rancid breaths of questioning relatives, so escaped. But not before she registered the completely sober man sat in the kitchen. His eyes glittered with unknown malice, but naïvely Leia dismissed it. But it was him. It had always been him. He had killed her father. She was not guilty; Johnny Beckett, however, had guilty tattooed on his soul._

* * *

_Apologies for late update but I hope this chapter makes up for it. I hope this has been engaging and enjoyable. Please spare the time to review or give constructive criticism to help me improve my writing, it's so very greatly appreciated. _

_For those awaiting Curtis and Ethan's arrival, don't worry they will make an appearance! _

_Thanks to those who have already reviewed and for your continuous support! _

_~much love_


	4. Chapter 4

Leia ran to her uncle's home, arriving just as the two detectives were leaving. They were accompanied by a woman with auburn hair. Leia waited for their car to disappear before she took the pathway into the garden. Their house was grand, its land vast. At her hip, sheathed in a leather casing that her father had helped her make, was another of her hand-crafted knives.

She stepped, without noise into the kitchen, filtering the noises echoing throughout the building. Noise was coming from two of the rooms upstairs, and she rushed with panther-like stealth out of the kitchen, ascending the staircase. She slipped into the bathroom when a flicker of movement caught her eye; Leia surveyed the stairs through the crack in the door. Alexis descended the staircase, a basket of washing at her hip; now she had Johnny alone on the first floor.

She found him in his office. He sat gazing out of the window, his back to the hunter.

She crept as close as she could before pouncing, placing the point of her blade at his neck. He tensed.

'You killed my father.'

'Ah, dear sweet Leia,' he purred. 'And, how, my dear did you draw your conclusion?'

'Because I saw you,' she decided to lie, because saying that he was the only man sober, thus the only one that could wield a weapon and execute a murder, probably wouldn't get him to confess.

'Oh right,' he frowned, then with shocking agility, landed an elbow into her abdomen, causing Leia to fall back, dropping her blade in the process. 'You got me,' he leered, bringing his own blade to her neck. 'But what are you going to do about it?'

'I'm reporting you to the police.'

'Oh, I don't think you need to go that far. Otherwise, I may have to rearrange that perfect face of yours,' he chuckled darkly, tracing her cheekbone with the icy edge of the knife. 'No, no, no; here's what you're going to do. You're going to hand yourself in. Yeah; you see, they already think you're guilty. And if you hand yourself in, not only do I go free, but you get to live. If you plead guilty, your uncle won't need to kill you.'

He studied her with those pitch black, dilated eyes. Leia refused to cry, so returned his malevolent stare with a steely one of her own.

He nicked her neck. She wailed inwardly, the pain causing prickling tears at her eyes.

'That was just to show how much I'm not joking Leia,' he uttered. _'Am_ I understood?' She glared defiantly, resulting in the knife carving her neck again. This time, it was hard to suppress a scream.

'Am I understood?' he growled.

'Yes,' Leia's voice was hardly audible. 'Yes.'

'Good, now leave this house, wear something that will hide those cuts, and get to that police station, and if you even try to tell them, rest assured you won't see tomorrow morning.' He threw her to the ground, and she scurried away, a rising hate towards herself growing as she departed. She'd gone to get a confession, justice for her father. She came away with a useless confession, a death threat and an inescapable jail sentence.

* * *

_A short update, again I hope you're enjoying the story, please leave a review, shall update soon. I will get back to the main story of Megan, but for now she's focussed on the job! Thank you for all the reviews so far! _

_~much love_


	5. Chapter 5

'What did the daughter say about the other family members there that night?' Megan questioned, fitting together everything in her mind.

'She just said that everyone was very drunk. Everyone,' Bud answered, driving through Philly toward the station.

'See, that's what doesn't fit - if everyone was so drunk, nobody at that party would have been able to apply such concentrated force with the knife. So it must have been someone sober.'

'That's why our main suspect is Leia,' Bud commented sardonically.

'I think you should question her again.'

'Why?'

'Find out what her motive was.'

'Fine, we'll bring her in.'

'Did your interviewees shade light on the background of Mitchell and his brother?'

'No,' Bud replied slowly, confused at the random questions. 'Why?'

'Could we possibly interview the parents?'

'Sure...' Bud gave Sam a look.

Bud's phone began to trill, Sam answered. A short gurgling from the speaker, Sam's eyes glanced at Bud. She concluded the call.

'Leia's just handed herself in.'

* * *

Leia had returned to the chair she had been questioned in, accompanied again by Detective Morris and Baker. The only difference this time was that they were joined by the pretty woman with auburn hair that she'd seen at her uncle's home.

Leia had worn an olive turtleneck jumper to conceal the sore lacerations on her collarbone, just as he'd told her to.

The detectives questioned her; most of the answers she had to make up, but that didn't matter - when you admitted murder, the details hardly bothered them, they just needed to know you did it. She sensed a different vibe, however, from the mysterious woman stood in the corner; this presence stood in silence and studied Leia. She noted the way the woman held her stomach; Leia's mother did the same thing - an unconscious gesture that pregnant women tended to do, even if it wasn't noticeable yet.

As Leia turned her head to get a better view of the woman, the jumper caught her wound and she hissed, tugging at the tight material. This caused the woman to speak.

'What wrong with your neck Leia?'

'Nothing,' she answered snappily.

'Can I take a look?' The detectives had obviously failed to catch her response to the pain, and gave the curious woman a perplexed look.

She strutted forward, her heels clicking on the floor. Her hands were chilly at her neck as she pulled down her jumper.

'How did you do that?' she asked, genuinely concerned. If Leia revealed her uncle, she'd die.

'I did it. To myself.' Leia didn't look the inquisitive woman in the eye.

'Why?'

'Maybe it was a little self discipline for killing my dad.'

'Did you?'

'What?' Leia exclaimed. 'I've already told you.'

'What if I don't believe you?'

'Well more fool you. I killed my father, and he deserved it,' she hissed, glaring at the woman. Leia's acting skills surprised her - but not in a way she could call admirable. 'Who is she anyway?' she directed the question at the detectives, polluting her voice with anger to make her murderer act more convincing.

'She, is our medical examiner.'

Abrupty, the inquisition ended and two officers lead Leia to a holding cell. The medical examiner didn't take her eyes off her; those eyes that knew that Leia was lying. As she was taken away, the woman spoke to the officers, 'Make sure someone patches up her neck.'

She gave a wink, and strode off in her ridiculously high heels.

* * *

Megan, Sam and Bud had reconvened in the car and, under Megan's orders, left to visit the parent's of Mitchell Beckett.

'Why, may I ask, are we here?' Bud queried tiredly, gazing into the horizon where the sun lingered low in the sky. Megan glanced at her watch. It was 16:50; only an hour or so before she'd reveal all to Peter.

'Because I want to question them.'

'Why? We have our killer, she's admitted it!'

At this moment, a forlorn elderly woman peeped through the doorway.

'Is this about Mitch?' she asked.

'Yes, you've met the detectives, but I'm Dr Megan Hunt,' she introduced herself.

'Would it be possible for us to come in and ask some further questions?'

'No, no; do come in,' the door swung open and they were lead to the living area.

'I've come to ask about Mitch's relationship with his brother; were they friendly?'

'Oh when they were little, you could hardly get them away from each other; Johnny used to look up to him, follow him around like a loyal puppy. They were always close.'

'Was there any friction between them recently? A disagreement? A fight?'

Marianne looked shiftily between them before answering; 'Well, last year when Mitch's wife became pregnant again, they decided they didn't want to keep it. Their jobs are extremely demanding and they knew how they'd affected Leia's life with their work and didn't want it to ruin another child's life.' She paused, fiddling with her fingers. 'Johnny and his wife Alexis, also found out last year that they couldn't have children, so...Mitch decided to let the adopt their child when it was born.'

'So what happened?'

'Well, it must have been three weeks ago when Mitch decided to keep the baby.'

'And this, angered, Johnny?'

'Very much. He's always wanted a family, and when his chance slipped away, he was overcome with rage.'

Megan gave Bud and Sam a meaningful look.

'That's why there were baby clothes and toys at their home,' Megan added, earning a questioning glance from her colleagues.

'Yes, he wanted to be prepared.'

'I think that's all Mrs. Beckett, thank you.'

'Do you think it's him? Johnny?'

'We're not sure yet, but we will find who killed your son,' Megan gave a comforting smile as she exited the house. The threesome strode down the driveway, and upon reaching the car Sam questioned, 'Johnny? What on earth makes you suspect Johnny?'

'Well, I didn't think he was exactly who he made himself out to be; the wife had bruises everywhere on her arms, a distinct handprint, burns. Then there was all the baby stuff, but they didn't have a child.'

'That doesn't make him a murderer,' Sam disputed.

'Okay, what motive did Leia give you?' Megan stood, hand on hip.

'She didn't. She just said she did it and that's all we need to know.'

'Well, detective's. I have just found you your motive.'

'So, Johnny kills Mitch in revenge for keeping their baby...' Bud caught on.

'Thus leaving Mitch's wife as a single parent, creating more of a chance that she'll reconsider and give him the baby,' Megan explained.

'And with Leia jailed for the murder he can carry on, living the life he always wanted,' Bud concluded.

'Now, we're on the same page,' Megan smirked.

'You do realise this is just speculation,' Sam sighed.

'But very good speculation.'

* * *

_I know I sound repetative but I hope you like this chapter, and enjoying the whole story in general! Again, please post what you think of it, and I will carry on updating as quickly as I can! Thanks again for everyone who has already reviewed._

_Umm, I hope the murder case is okay...I'm not very medical or detectivey so it's kept simple...kind of..(: _

_Uh, I just really hope you all enjoy my writing! _

_~much love_


	6. Chapter 6

A headache began to seep into Megan's skull, but she resisted it.

Herself and the two detectives had parted ways; Bud and Sam had once again opened up a session of interrogation with the daughter, under Megan's theory that she was being blackmailed to plead guilty; hence the gashes.

The medical examiner had returned to the home of Johnny and Alexis Beckett to carry out her own questioning with the wife. Again she sensed abusive bribary taking place.

She'd called Ethan, requiring a check for DNA signatures on the crumpled ultrasound image collected from the crime scene; before she'd theorized, the image hadn't seemed of great significance, but now with the background story, it could provide evidence placing Johnny Beckett at the crime scene.

Upon arrival, Megan noted that the husband's car was absent. A glance at her watch revealed fifteen minutes had ticked by since her last check of the time; that dreaded time loomed, making her feel all sick inside again. Breathing slowly, Megan stepped out of her car, regarding her infamous heels. In a few months she wouldn't be able to balance in these heels. With a sigh, she knocked upon the door, Alexis answered.

'Hello Mrs Beckett, I'm Dr Megan Hunt; I was with the detectives earlier,' she reminded. The woman scrutinised her with wary eyes, nodding gently to express her recognition. 'Would it be possible to ask some further questions; I gather your husband isn't in?'

'No, but I can't answer any questions,' she murmured abruptly, forcing the door closed. Megan caught it before it fully closed.

'Mrs Beckett, please,' she looked at her imploringly through the crack in the door.

'I'm sorry,' she whispered, attempting to shut the door again.

'Mrs Beckett, you need to help me. You need to help me stop someone innocent from being locked up for life; please.'

There was a pause before the door swung open, Alexis already shuffling off into the depths of the house. Megan . trailed after her, and was taken to the living area. They both seated themselves.

Alexis was agitated and ripping at her cuticles.

'Mrs Beckett; you need to tell the truth,' Megan began, her voice caring and calm. 'I've seen the bruises. He's hurting you isn't he?'

A long pause.

'Is he trying to keep you quiet about something?'

Still no response; but Megan could see a battle occuring behind those haunted eyes.

'Leia's being forced to lie too, isn't she? Please, tell me for Leia's sake. Did he kill Mitch Beckett?'

Tears crept down the sallow cheeks of Alexis and hoarsely a single word escaped her lips, 'Yes.'

'Could you tell me? Take as much time as you need,' Megan asked, pitying the abused woman. Alexis took some breaths before recalling the events.

'Do you know we were going to have Mitch's baby?'

Megan nodded.

'But Mitch didn't want to give it up anymore, and it was fine. We'd find someone else. But Johnny...Johnny felt betrayed, he snapped. I saw him; that night. He took one of Leia's knives into the garage. And the next morning they found Mitch.' Megan listened, letting her explain uninterrupted. 'I asked him, _what have you done_, he took me into kitchen and burned me.' She brandished the scalds upon her hands. 'Bruised me everywhere. Promised he'd kill me if I told anybody. Said he stopped Mitch's life to help us; to get us the baby we wanted,' she descended into silent weeping.

'I promise we won't let him hurt you anymore,' Megan placed a hand to her shoulder.

'Oh really?' questioned a sadistic voice.

* * *

'How did you get those cuts on your neck?' Sam asked.

'I told you, I did them myself.'

'Are you sure?'

The girl remained stubborn.

'We know that your uncle was annoyed at your dad for wanting to keep his baby, and we've also just got a call from the ME's office that his prints are all over an ultrasound image that your father gave him, placing him at the murder,' Bud informed, sliding the scrumpled image over the table encased in a plastic wallet. The girl sat silent, staring at the image.

'If someone is threatening you, you need to tell us; we can protect you,' Sam reassured. The girl glanced at Sam, a look in her eye that told her there was something she desperately wanted to say but was frightened of revealing it.

'Honestly, we can protect you; you just need to tell us.'

'Are you asking me this because of the medical examiner?'

'She thinks you're innocent, and when she thinks something, she's usually right,' Bud grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

'If you're so sure it's my uncle, why are you questioning me?' she queried snappily.

'We will. But it makes it easier to make a case against him if you tell us, whether he's bribing you.'

Leia closed her eyes thoughtfully, Sam and Bud letting her organize her thoughts.

'He...' she uttered, the detectives sat forward expectantly. 'He...told me, he'd kill me. If I told anyone.'

'If you told anyone what?'

'That he killed my dad.'

* * *

Megan looked right, and shadowing the door frame was Johnny Beckett, a glinting pistol in his hand, directed at Megan's head. Despite the desperate situation, Megan couldn't help but sigh; it seemed like her life was under constant peril. The wife whimpered, her weeping escalating.

'We know you did it Johnny.'

'Yes. I heard. My wife did a very good job of being unfaithful,' he glared at her.

'The police will be here, and you'll be arrested and put in jail for life.'

'Maybe I will or maybe I won't, but you won't be alive to know.'

'You know what. I'm really fed up with this threatening crap. Why don't you people just get over the fact that you did something bad, and you're going to pay for it.'

'Shut up lady,' he growled, leaping forward, tangling his fingers in her long, auburn hair. He pulled her head back harshly, causing her to moan in pain. The gun was stabbed into her waist. A petrified wail from the cowering wife.

'All I wanted was a kid. He took that away from me,' his voice was etched with crazed pain. Megan knew perfectly well that this man was able to kill, and a sudden panic came over her; she had a baby now, and she still had to tell Peter, Lacey, her mother.

'You care about children?' she said choosing her words carefully.

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'You wouldn't want to hurt one? Well I'm pregnant; you wouldn't want to hurt my baby would you?'

He paused.

'You're lying.'

'I am not,' Megan answered, beginning to feel around the table for an ornament. She found something hard and heavy, grasped it within her fingers, and with precision and force landed it on his head. He cursed wretchedly, the wife wailed, and the gun exploded.

* * *

_Umm. Hope you enjoy, please review. I can assure you all the Meter and concentration on her pregnancy will be in the next chapter...um. Any advice; review or PM..I really, really, really hope you like..(:_

_~much love_


	7. Chapter 7

Bud and Sam hastily left the questioning, torpedoing through town in the direction of Johnny Beckett's house which was also Megan's destination at this moment in time.

'Why is it she always seems to stick herself in the wrong place at the wrong time?' Bud muttered, practically to himself.

'Because she likes to catch the killers. It seems she does our jobs, as well as hers, most of the time,' Sam answered, holstering her gun.

'One day, I swear she's gonna' get herself killed.'

Following a blurred five minutes, the imposing house stooped before them; Megan's car was parked beside two others. Bud swerved the car, parking it at the rear of the Beckett's cars to hinder any attempted escape by motor.

They exited their vehicle, prowling toward the house, guns ready. The front door ajar, the detectives stormed through, eyes and guns surveying every inch of the hall. A glance in the nearest room revealed nothing, they pushed on. Sam held up her hand, tilting her head to catch a faint noise. They stood for lingering seconds before a whimpering became audible. The source was the room at the far end of the hall. With deathly silent steps they pushed forward. A fleeting peek through the door revealed Alexis Beckett to be the cause of the noise; she had been gagged and fastened to a chair. Her cheek flared red with blood and inflammation. Her watery eyes were were transfixed on a secreted scene occuring behind the leather sofa. A trail of blood led to the same place. The detectives burst through the door, Sam urgently following the grim trail.

Splayed upon the floor was the medical examiner, blood pooling from an unknown source. Her eyes were locked defiantly upon the man who crouched above her, waving a gun threateningly in her face. Johnny Beckett looked up when he heard the commotion of the detectives, and before he could do anything rash, Sam pulled the trigger, hitting him squarely in the shoulder. He collapsed with a scream, but was silenced when Bud moved in knocking him unconscious with a direct blow to the head. He clicked the cuffs around his thick wrists and both detectives convened around the wounded medical examiner.

'Where are you hurt?' Sam asked.

'My leg.'

'Are you okay?'

'I'm fine,' she assured. 'I'm just glad my baby's okay.'

Bud and Sam looked at her in stunned silence. Megan glanced up at the odd absence of questions from Bud and Sam, then registered the slightly confused, gobsmacked expressions, 'Crap. Did I say that out loud?'

'Yeah,' they both said slowly.

'I'm guessing now wouldn't be a great time to congratulate you as you bleed,' Bud added his sarcastic comments to the moment before stepping away to call an ambulance.

'When did you find out?' Sam asked, whilst applying pressure to Megan's wound. She hissed in pain before answering, 'Last night. And my plan on telling the father first doesn't seem to be working.'

'Peter, I'm guessing.'

'Yes; why does everyone keep asking me that? Do they doubt my faithfulness or something?'

'Dr Hunt, you really need to stick to your medical examining,' Bud hollered as he aided Mrs Beckett. 'Detectiving isn't kind to you.'

'Thinking about it,' she said, inhaling sharply as the bullet embedded in her calf, shifted. 'But at least I can take a shot better than this loser over here,' she gestured to the unconscious male sprawled upon the floor. 'Did you hear that scream?'

They laugh, as Bud released Alexis.

'So, you're pregnant,' Bud stated, seemingly mulling over the fact. The quip wasn't far behind, 'Bit old aren't you?'

They all chuckled; Megan knew Bud meant nothing by it, but inside, that was the one thing that worried her most of all.

* * *

A police team and ambulance arrived promptly, carting Megan and Alexis to hospital, as well as Johnny.

Alexis was mute; she'd need serious therapy for what her husband put her through.

Sam had decided to take the journey with Dr Hunt, to accompany her.

A glance at her watch, 'Shoot! I'm meant to be meeting Peter in my office to tell him!'

'Calm down, he won't mind if you don't make it.'

'But he already thinks I'm calling him there to break up with him! If I'm not there, he'll really think I don't care about him.'

'When we get to the hospital, because I can't get any signal in here, I'll call him, tell him where you are.'

'Thank you,' Megan replied gratefully.

At the hospital, the bullet was removed and her leg was sanitized and bandaged. There seemed to be no long term damage, but she'd been given crutches as Megan found it a struggle to walk.

As she exited the hospital with Sam, she muttered, 'This is so undignified.'

Sam laughed and offered her a lift, which she took appreciatively.

* * *

At the MEO, Megan and Sam took the elevator which ascended to the seventh floor.

'Good luck,' Sam said as Megan hobbled off to her office where Peter is sat gazing out at the darkening sky.

Megan stared at him for a bit, breathing shallowly. To her right Kate and Sam stand together, nodding assuringly.

She stumbled into the office; her presence caused Peter to respond automatically, asking if she's okay, ordering her to take a seat. She sits.

'Peter.'

'What was it you wanted to tell me, Megan?' he questioned. She was quiet for a few moments, thinking about how to word it. She decided to use the simple way.

'I'm pregnant,' she responds bluntly.

Peter seemed to freeze. He stared at her, looking into her eyes as if he were trying to search for the truth.

'Peter?' she waved a hand in front of his face. He snapped out of his daze. 'What do you think?' Megan asked, slowly losing her faith in Peter's positive reaction.

'What do I think?' he repeated, as if he didn't understand the question. He heaved a sigh. 'Wow, I'm going to be a dad...I think it's brilliant,' he broke into a smile, so wide and gleeful, it infected Megan, and then she's giggling. He kisses her.

'Are you sure you want a baby?' she asked

'I've never been so sure about anything in my life,' he smiled, hugging her.

Outside the glass panes of her office, Kate and Sam laugh, cheering.

From along the hall, Curtis and Ethan eyed the pair.

'You might wanna' know why they knew first,' Megan said. 'Well, Kate found out whilst I was buying the test, and Sam and Bud were graced with the news when I accidentally blurted it out whilst my blood was staining someone's carpet. I was going to tell you first.'

'No, it's fine. Have you told Lacey yet? Joan?'

Megan looked sheepish.

'Do I have to tell my mother?'

Peter laughed and kissed the top of her head.

'I love you,' he whispered.

'I love you too.'

* * *

_Sorry this update took so long, but I was having some confidence issues with my writing...(: So I hope you like, and review, follow, favourite, whatever. Any advice, review or PM. Be patient if my updates take a long time again(: _

_Umm._

_~much love_


	8. Chapter 8

Peter took Megan home, frequently muttering 'oh my God', as a way of venting his astonishment and glee.

As she got out of the car, Peter kissed her and caressed her still flat belly which caused her to smile and taint her cheeks rosy. She murmured goodbye, shut the door and strode to her apartment. Peter watched until she'd disappeared, chuckling as he imagined the scene of Megan telling her mother, then drove away.

Not to Megan's surprise, she found Lacey curled up on the sofa, conversing with one of her many friends on the laptop. Megan rolled her eyes to herself, hung up her bag in her room, and walked to the kitchen.

'Hey Mom,' Lacey called as Megan poured herself some juice.

'Hey sweetie,' Megan answered. 'How was your day?' Lacey bid farewell to her friends and closed the laptop, joining her mother in the kitchen.

'Fine,' she replied shortly. 'Mum, I know you said no...but I was wondering if you'd reconsidered about the pet-'

'Nope.'

'Awh, but-'

'Let me finish. I actually have decided to get a pet.'

'What? Really?' Lacey squealed excitedly.

'But I've chosen what it's going to be...kind of.'

'Dog?'

'Nope.'

'Cat.'

'No cat either.'

'Snake?'

'Not any of those.'

'Mum you better not have settled for something like stick insects or...or a goldfish or something,' Lacey grumbled, her excitement decreasing.

'How about something a bit bigger than stick insects...how about, I don't know, a brother or sister?' Megan asked.

Lacey's answer came out as a squeal: 'What?!'

'I'm pregnant sweetheart.' Megan beamed. Lacey repeated 'oh my god' and scrambled to give her mother a magnificent hug, but quickly stopped, thinking her vigorous show of love might hurt the baby.

'Are you serious?' Lacey asked, still gobsmacked. Megan nodded.

'This is awesome!'

'You're all right with it?' Megan queried.

'It's brilliant! I've always wanted to be an older sister.' Megan beamed and embraced her daughter, saying to herself that there wasn't a tear in her eye. With smiles, they convened to the living room and spent the evening watching chick-flicks accompanied with popcorn, ice-cream, the works. Megan missed that glass of red wine that was usually present during her evening - but she was responsible, and Lacey was adamant. She'd have to get used to it for the next nine months anyhow.

They got through at least four rom-coms and one and a half tubs of ice-cream, and throughout the evening, that one thought never managed to escape her mind. That thought of revealing all to her mother...

* * *

'I know you're excited Peter, but if you keep caressing my stomach, you may be in danger of a slap.' Peter rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. The elevator door slid open to reveal the buzz of work. Megan sighed and stepped out of the elevator, Peter by her side. Kate approached, gave Megan a smile and murmured a 'congratulations' to Peter. He smiled like there was nothing that could make him happier. The pair carried on, as Kate left for her office.

'Well I'm glad Lacey's happy about it; I didn't want her to feel...excluded if we had this baby.' Peter said to Megan, careful to keep his voice low so no one could overhear, by order of Megan.

'Why would she feel excluded?' Megan stopped and stared at him puzzled. Peter realised she had stopped and turned, looking at her as if what he'd said wasn't hard to understand.

'I just meant, that we'd be starting our own family, and she might feel... I don't know,' he trailed off as Megan just stared blankly at him. 'Doesn't matter.'

'Okay then.' Megan carried on to the lab, Peter followed shaking his head.

'Have you told you mother yet?' Peter changed the subject.

'No,' Megan said simply, her heels clicking.

'Are you going to?' Peter questioned knowing that getting her to tell Joan would be hell.

'I'm trying not to think about it, Peter,' Megan said. Just as she finished her sentence, her phone trilled to life in her pocket. Tutting, she brought out her phone. 'Ah, speak of the devil,' Megan sighed. The second before she could decline the call, Peter's skimmed his hand over the screen accepting the dreaded call. Megan stared at him in frustrated disbelief and hissed his name. He just smiled pleasantly as she dragged the phone to her ear.

'Hello mother,' she muttered blandly. 'Yes I am busy...I'm at work...I do have a life...I can't meet you later-'

At this moment, Peter playfully snatched the phone from her hand, a broad smile playing upon his lips. Her face dropped and once again she hissed his name. He put the phone to his ear.

'Hello Mrs. Hunt...I'm fine, how are you?' Peter chatted idly, as Megan tried in vain to gain possession of her cell phone. 'Were you saying something about Megan meeting you at some point?' Peter asked; Megan halted in her phone-snatching attempts and stood glaring darkly at Peter shaking her head. 'Okay then, I'll tell her. See you later, Mrs Hunt,' Peter concluded the conversation and handed back Megan's phone. She stood there, returned her phone to her bag and then proceeded to hit Peter around the shoulder with her bag.

'What. Did. You. Do?' she emphasized each word in her question, with a slap of her handbag. Peter chuckled.

'Your mother's coming to yours tonight at 7,' Peter informed, bracing for another shower of bag. It didn't come, instead Megan stormed off, leaving Peter laughing to himself.

* * *

'I can't believe you did this,' Megan grumbled as she drove home with Peter in the passenger seat.

'You can't just keep telling her your gaining a bit of weight over the next nine months, you know,' Peter reminded. She shot him a sharp look.

'I'd have preferred to have told her in my own time,' Megan replied.

'What? When you go into labour?'

'Peter; stop being smart.'

Megan parked the car and the pair walked to her apartment hand in hand. Megan flicked the lights on and trotted to the kitchen. She poured Peter a glass of his favourite wine, as he set the table ready for their meal with Joan Hunt.

'Where's Lacey tonight?' Peter questioned, as he pressed the play button on Megan's CD player - quiet, soft music began playing.

'She's with Todd,' Megan replied. 'I'm letting her tell him; I really can't be bothered to go through it with him. Telling my mother is hell enough.'

Peter laughed, striding over to help her prepare dinner. 'You'll be perfectly fine, telling your mother you know.'

'I know,' she smiled.

* * *

Ten minutes before Joan Hunt was to arrive, Megan checked on the food in the oven. It smelt delicious. As she turned around Peter clasped her hands in his and pulled her gently to the lounge.

'What are you doing Peter?' she asked with a smile, as he placed her hands onto his shoulders, and slipped his around her waist.

'I'm dancing with you.' Megan laughed, but swayed with him to the soft tones of the music. She lay her head on his shoulder and enjoyed the moment. A few moments passed before she lifted her head and pulled him into a kiss.

'Well isn't this lovely.' Joan Hunt stood at the door, her eyebrow arched, a smirk upon her lips.

'Hello mother,' Megan welcomed.

'Hi Joan,' Peter kissed her on the cheek.

'Glad you reconsidered about meeting up, Megan.'

'I didn't really have much choice,' she said through a smile, glancing at Peter. 'Come and sit down though; I think dinner's just about ready.'

Joan took off her coat and hung it up, taking her seat at the table.

'How was work today then?'

'The usual, mother,' Megan replied as she served the food onto the plates.

'This looks divine,' Joan commented. She immediatly tucked in.

'Wine?' Megan asked Joan, to which she nodded. Megan topped up Peter's glass and placed the wine bottle on the table. Joan noticed the lack of red wine in Megan's glass.

'Aren't you having any wine, Meg?' Megan's face froze into a forced smile, and Peter gave her a reassuring look. A trill from Megan's bag.

'Oh just leave it dear, it's probably nothing important,' Joan nagged. Caller ID showed that it was Todd.

Megan gave them a sweet smile, 'It's Todd; better answer it. Lacey might need something.'

'Put it on loudspeaker,' Joan said. Reluctantly, Megan did as she was asked, and put the phone on the table.

'Hi Todd, is Lacey okay?' Megan asked.

'She's fine. I was actually calling because I wanted to know if you and Peter are really having a baby?'

Joan spat out her wine, and coughed madly. Megan ended the call. Peter clapped Joan on the back.

'What?!'

* * *

_Uh, hello. Long time no update.. and I'm incredibly sorry. I hope you enjoyed the long awaited update. I've just been so busy with school stuff recently, I never had chance to write anything and had a bit of writer's block. I'm really sorry, and I really will try to update quicker on the next chapter. So, I hope you enjoy, and thanks to all the reviews and follows and favourites, and please continue to do so! Honestly every review makes my day! Sorrysorrysorry.  
~much love. _


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